Analyzing seven areas of well-being – economic well-being, employment, health, housing, justice and safety and social inclusion – the report found that overall, aboriginal people face significant disadvantages in their daily lives on these fronts.

In general, aboriginal people are much more likely to be unemployed, receive social assistance, live in inadequate housing, experience violent crimes and be incarcerated than non-aboriginals.

The report states that a much higher proportion of aboriginal adults (15.3 per cent for women and 14 per cent for men) are in persistent low-income status – meaning, four or more years living in poverty – whereas non-aboriginal women are at 6.3 per cent and non-aboriginal men are at 4.6 per cent.

More aboriginal adults hold multiple jobs than non-aboriginals, and cite difficulties in finding and maintaining sustainable employment because of a lack of training and education.

There are more aboriginal adults enrolled in high school (31 per cent women and 49.7 per cent men) compared to non-aboriginals (28.2 per cent women and 32.3 per cent men) but the proportion of aboriginal adults enrolled in university is less than half that of non-aboriginal adults.

The report also notes some contrasts between the situation of aboriginal men and women.

Among adults, the proportion of aboriginal men who have high school as their highest level of educational attainment is higher than that of women.

The proportion of aboriginal women on the waiting list for subsidized housing is 7.6 per cent, three per cent higher than the proportion of aboriginal men.

Aboriginal men are incarcerated at a rate of 9.8 per cent higher than female offenders – but regardless of sex, the proportion of aboriginals in prison is “substantially” higher than non-aboriginal offenders.

While the basic premise of the paper isn’t new – that aboriginal Canadians are at a disadvantage compared to non-aboriginals – the report notes it is the first of its kind, as an analysis of available data an aboriginals from an “equality rights perspective.”

“For decades, study after study has chronicled the social injustice faced by Aboriginal people, on and off reserve,” wrote David Langtry, the acting chief commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

“This report adds to our understanding by providing an empirical reference point regarding the impacts of systemic discrimination on the equality rights of a group protected by Canadian human rights legislation and international conventions.”

He added, “It is hoped that this report will serve to inform the work of stakeholders and government departments seeking to address these issues.”

Aboriginal affairs spokesperson Andrea Richer says her department “could not agree more” with one aspect of the report: education.

“Years of studies, audits, and reports, as well as direct calls from First Nations, have identified the need for additional supports and structures to ensure that school systems on reserve are accountable to the students who pass through them,” she said.

Richer points to the the federal government’s First Nation Education Act, which is set for September 2014, as one step the government is taking to do so.

“While there are no quick fixes, we are committed to continue working with First Nations for a strong future for themselves and for Canada,” she added.

The report comes at a particularly tenuous time in the relationship between aboriginal people and the federal government.

Last week marked the fifth anniversary of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s residential schools apology, which was held aloft as a positive shift for government-First Nations relations at the time, but has since been criticized as all talk and no action.

The Department of Aboriginal Affairs also this month announced a 30 per cent cut to funding for aboriginal organizations, including the Assembly of First Nations, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and Metis National Council.